1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a shoe, more particularly to a shoe with an automated tightening capability.
2. Description of the Related Art
In co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/941,346, filed by the applicant on Aug. 28, 2001, there is disclosed an easy-to-wear shoe that includes a shoe body with first and second eyelet tabs. The second eyelet tab includes a front portion proximate to a vamp, a rear portion proximate to a top shoe opening, and an intermediate eyelet-free portion therebetween. Each of the front and rear portions of the second eyelet tab is provided with at least one eyelet. A first fastener has a mounting section mounted securely on the intermediate eyelet-free portion of the second eyelet tab, and a fastener engaging section provided on the mounting section. A second fastener has a shoe lace stringing section formed with at least one eyelet, and a fastener engaging section extending from the shoe lace stringing section and capable of removable engagement with the fastener engaging section of the first fastener. A shoe lace unit is strung through the eyelets of the first and second eyelet tabs and the second fastener.
It is desirable to improve the aforesaid shoe by incorporating an automated shoe tightening action therein to facilitate physically challenged users.
According to this invention, an automated tightening shoe comprises a sole, an upper, a closure member, a tightening mechanism and a drive unit.
The upper is connected to the sole, and has a toe portion and a heel portion. The upper is formed with an opening adjacent to the heel portion to permit slipping of a foot into the upper, and further has a tongue connected to the toe portion, and first and second closure tabs disposed to overlap opposite lateral sides of the tongue, respectively.
The closure member is provided on the upper, extends between the first and second closure tabs, and is connected to at least one of the first and second closure tabs. The closure member is movable from a loosening state, where the closure member allows limited movement of the first and second closure tabs away from each other, to a tightened state, where the closure member pulls the first and second closure tabs toward each other to tighten the shoe around the foot.
The tightening mechanism includes first and second fasteners. The first fastener has a mounting section mounted securely on the first closure tab, and a fastener engaging section provided on the mounting section. The second fastener is connected to the closure member, and has a fastener engaging portion capable of removable engagement with the fastener engaging section of the first fastener so as to retain releasably the closure member at the tightened state.
The drive unit is mounted inside the sole, and includes a housing, a spool mounted rotatably in the housing, a pull string and a motor unit. The pull string has a first anchored end connected to the spool, a second anchored end connected to the second fastener, and an intermediate string portion between the first and second anchored ends. The intermediate string portion extends outwardly of the sole and the upper to permit connection of the second anchored end to the second fastener. The motor unit is mounted in the housing, is coupled to the spool, and is operable so as to drive rotation of the spool in the housing to wind the pull string on the spool for pulling the second fastener toward the first fastener in order to engage the fastener engaging portion with the fastener engaging section, thereby resulting in automated tightening of the shoe.